9/19/2016
The refugee crisis really began to be noticed after WWII. In response to this the International Refugee Organization was created to manage the refugee crisis in Europe after WWII but the organization soon fell apart. The UN then realized they needed a solution, which protected refugees around the world with set laws. In 1950 the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) was created. Over the years the laws have been changed as well as new ones added. Under these laws, any person who crosses a border is considered to be seeking asylum with that country. Either the host country or UNHCR will evaluate that person's status depending on state laws. Someone who has committed a war crime or any other serious crime may be considered of "not deserving of international protection". Someone who flees from a dangerous war zone into another country is not automatically considered a refugee. Two elements are required to determine if a person is a refugee, not just an asylum seeker. These elements are an interview with the person and detailed research into where they came from and the situation in that country. If a large group seeks asylum all at once, fleeing from a violent country, they may be considered refugees are a group because the country and UNHCR doesn't have the resources to go through the process with each person individually. If an asylum seeker is denied and the country is a part of UNHCR the seeker may apply with UNHCR and gain asylum through their process. If the seeker is denied through UNHCR they may appeal within 30 days. Before a person seeks refugee status they must first seek asylum. It is easier to be recognized this way. As long as a person is not considered a danger, most countries have to allow an asylum seeker to stay in the country while they are being considered. The conditions in which the person will be living in are different from country to country. Some countries require seekers to live in encampments while others have specific centers.
9/21/2016
More the half of Syria's pre war population, almost 11 million people, have been killed or forced to leave their homes during the crisis in Syria. According to the U.N, it will cost over $7.7 billion to deal with the most immediate and urgent needs of the Syrians. The conflict started peacefully in 2011 as a part of the Arab Spring but demonstrations quickly turned violent and war broke out. Since then over 250,000 have been killed, over half believed to be civilians not involved in the conflict. Bombings and fighting have severely limited the resources into Syria, essentially cutting them off. The majority of Syrians flee to Turkey and other neighboring countries. Over 5 million Syrians are registered or awaiting refugee status. Some countries set up camps for refugees but some refugees chose to live in neighboring towns or urban areas instead, feeling cut off and constricted in the small camps. Lack of housing, jobs, and basic necessities is a very real problem for Syrian refugees who often have no money and no recourses to survive on their own. More than half the refugees are estimated to be under 18.
9/29/2016
"Why I Bought Four Syrian Children Off A Beirut Street"
A man bought four Syrian children from a women claiming to be their neighbor off the street for $600 total. More than half of the 14 million Syrians in need are are children who are at risk of being malnourished and abused. In Lebanon the refugee crisis is seriously underfunded and the UN doesn't do very much to help. More than a third of 126 people say their children may go more than a day without food because of lack of resources and a quarter of these people say they see children dying because of it. There is no protection for the abused children as the police officers feel they have bigger and more important things to be dealing with. Half of the women who are forced to flee to Lebanon with children are without there husbands and now have to fend for themselves starting with nothing. When the women do find jobs they are often sexually harassed because there is no male in their household to protect them. Syrians are denied temporary Visas but Americans have no problem getting them easily and fast.
"International Committee of the Red Cross: Syria Crisis"
The Red Cross is working with the Syrian people to help them as much as they can. On their website they display shocking statistics about the Syrian crisis. 8 million people are displaced within Syria. 4.5 million people live in run down and hard to reach areas. 4.5 million people live in neighboring countries and beyond. 1.5 million people have been injured in the crisis with 250,000 have been killed so far. The Red Cross has carried out 14 missions so far, supplying clean water, food, and household items to those who need them most. They hope to continue these projects as well as supply medicine and restore access to clean water supplies.
9/30/2016
"Medicine Sans Frontiers/Doctors Without Borders: Sudan"
MSF is in Sudan because of armed conflict, endemic/epidemic disease, and health care exclusion. Due to denied access, MSF is not able to operate in East Darfur, South Darfur, and Blue Nile even though they are very much needed there. MSF runs clinics in North Darfur and Tawila, helping over 100,000 patients between the two just in 2015. In North Darfur MSF gave over 120,000 measles vaccines to children as well as Vitamin A supplements to those who were found to be malnourished. In West Darfur MSF supported three clinics helping over 33,800 patients as distributing measles vaccines and helping with a viral outbreak of hemorrhagic fever. MSF is helping South Sudanese refugees with over 44,300 consultations in 2015 and impatient care working with the main White Nile hospital. MSF Belgium is no longer active in Sudan due to the governments systematic denial to allow the organization to help where citizens need it the most.
"Welcoming Rhode Island"
Their mission is to welcome foreigners to Rhode Island to make them feel welcome and like Rhode Island is a very inclusive, community based, state. They push to disseminate the impression that foreigners are equals to US born citizens and should be welcomed and treated as such, not stereotyped. They want to stop the use of de-humanizing language with foreigners. 150-200 refugees are resettled in Rhode Island annually with that number only going up. They hold welcoming events throughout the year to make sure the entire Rhode Island community truly feels connected no matter a person's race or where they were born or where they come from. They are all about inclusivity.
10/6/2016
"How a Liberian Refugee is Liberating Child Soldiers at Scale"
Sheikh A. Turay is a former child soldier from Liberia where most people live on less than $1 per day. He was sent to the Ivory Coast as a refugee when he was released from the war. He was there for fourteen years before returning to Liberia. When he returned he saw the child soldiers had nothing once their $150 for turning in their guns ran out. In order to try and help those children Turay started Liberation Chocolate. Not only does the money alleviate poverty, it also gives 50 former child soldiers jobs but has aslo revitalized formerly abandoned farms and given them new life.